Sony has unveiled a significant advancement in gaming accessibility with the introduction of its latest customizable controller for the PlayStation 5, designed specifically to enhance gaming for people with disabilities.
On Thursday, the company introduced the Access controller, a versatile kit developed in close collaboration with the accessibility community.
This controller is intended to meet the diverse needs of players with disabilities, allowing them to play more comfortably for extended periods.
“Introducing the Access controller, a versatile controller kit that can be customized to meet players’ diverse needs, designed in close collaboration with the accessibility community to help players with disabilities play more comfortably for longer,” PlayStation announced.
The Access controller, set to launch globally on December 6 at a price of $90 in the U.S., features swappable buttons and sticks, enabling players to configure the controller to suit their individual preferences.
The circular device is surrounded by buttons and an extending joystick, with additional accessories that can be added via separate ports.
The controller was designed to accommodate a range of gaming needs, featuring interchangeable magnetic buttons, a box that can be opened with one hand, and the ability to combine controllers.
Cesar Flores, an accessibility consultant, shared his thoughts, highlighting the significance of the controller’s design.
“As someone who’s disabled, you’re given tons of accessible equipment that feels medical; it feels like something that’s from the hospital,” Flores explained.
“If you look closely on each of those buttons, there’s tiny X’s, squares, triangles — that’s so special. That’s the difference right there because that really makes it so I feel like I’m just going to game.”
Alvin Daniel, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s senior technical program manager, emphasized the importance of accessibility in controllers, noting that it is crucial for both games and consoles to be accessible.
“Our PlayStation Studios have done an amazing job with each title and really pushing the boundaries as far as accessible gaming,” he said. “The critical link in that chain is the controller.”
In an interview, Daniel outlined the three key principles behind the controller’s design, intended to make it “broadly applicable” — it doesn’t need to be held, its buttons are easier to press, and its thumbsticks can be configured.
Sony’s latest controller comes five years after Microsoft released its Adaptive Controller, which also provided Xbox players with a customizable gaming experience.
In a statement, Microsoft expressed its support for Sony’s efforts, saying it was “heartening to see others in the industry apply a similar approach to include more players in their work through a focus on accessibility.”
Paul Lane, who, along with Flores and others, served as a consultant on Sony’s latest development, spoke to the Associated Press about his experience with the controller.
“I game kind of weird, so it’s comfortable for me to be able to use both of my hands when I game,” Lane said. “So I need to position the controllers away enough so that I can be able to use them without clunking into each other.
Being able to maneuver the controllers has been awesome, but also the fact that this controller can come out of the box and ready to work.”
Mark Barlet, the founder of the nonprofit AbleGamers, reflected on the remarkable progress in gaming accessibility over the past five years.
“Show me a person with multiple sclerosis and I’ll show you a person who can be hard of hearing, I can show someone who has a visual impairment or a motor impairment,” he told.
“So thinking on the label of a disability is not the approach to take. It’s about the experience that players need to bridge that gap between a game and a controller that’s not designed for their unique presentation in the world.”
